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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. swing — music
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. swing — in golf
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bear — the animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mark — a trace
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com